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The Loschmidt Cell

A laboratory instrument for measuring the gas diffusivity and permeability of thin porous materials.

Idea

Gas and vapour transport in porous media occur in many important applications, including fuel cell and battery electrodes; energy conversion and storage; industrial food processing; building design; oil and gas exploration; environmental remediation; and carbon sequestration. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms and processes of gas and vapour transport in porous media is the first step to optimizing the performance of these systems.

Solution

We developed a laboratory instrument to measure the gas diffusion and permeability coefficients of porous materials over a range of temperatures; liquid saturations; humidified and dried gases; and compression forces. It is based on the closed-tube method for measuring the gas diffusion coefficients of binary gas pairs, pioneered by Josef Loschmidt more than 100 years ago.

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Key Features

3rd-generation design targets high-quality data and long-term reliability
Easy-to-use software interface with fully-automated calibration, measurement and data-logging routines
Sample mounting for a range of sizes and compositions, including homogeneous, heterogeneous, composite and multi-layer materials, as well as powders
Grant was always helpful, responsive, and very patient. The Loschmidt Cell test-bed itself was very user-friendly and easy to work with. We even had the chance to update aspects of it with the help of WTI to make it even more fit to our application.

Sina Salari, Ph.D. Simon Fraser University